Azzedine Alaïa

Tunisian - born french fashion genius Azzedine Alaïa has launched a second boutique in the city of lights. It's located at 5 rue de Marignan, a small side street near Avenue Montaigne, Paris' famous artery of luxury. Although the store is in an ornate 18th century building, its interior reflects a futuristic minimalism. The ceiling lamps, designed by British industrial designer Marc Newson, look like gigantic lifebuoys, and the giant chain chandelier by American artist Kris Ruhs stretches from the first floor all the way up to the fourth floor of the white marble stairwell. The white walls of the store and the manner in which the clothing is displayed creates a feeling that is more like an art gallery than a classic clothing store. The first floor, which features footwear and accessories, provides access to the small courtyard, where a verdant vertical garden covers one wall of the building like a lush forest. Only the windows remain unplanted, like eyes in a sea of green. The creator of this garden is none other than the founder of the vertical garden trend, botanist Patrick Blanc.